Jaci Dawn

My Great Grandmother saved more of Dale’s 1917 letters than in previous years – there are 19 letters that follow this one. There’s a war raging in Europe, but the United States will not enter that until April. Dale is struggling to put himself through college (and he will pull it off for one more semester). The Draft will catch up with him in July. Finally, Scarlet Fever will do her work. I know these things, but Dale did not. He wrote his letters, absorbed only with the now of living, and his current woes.

Eugene, Ore. Dec. 31, ’16

Dear Folks,

       Well, how are things now? I am still humming along as usual. Everybody else is getting La Grippe, but I cant get it. Too tough, I guess.

      See my Xmas present. I got a big box of stationery and some candy too. That will help some.

      I heard that Andy is back in the U.S. again, but I haven’t heard from him yet. I suppose Brown is back too. I expect to see them down this way before long. Andy always talked of coming down to see Brown’s place.

      I had a letter from Mr. Kopp the other day saying, that while he would be glad to lend money on life insurance, he had lent all he could spare, just two weeks before to his brother in the east who was buying a place. That prevents me from getting money there. I don’t know any one in this town who has any loose money to lend. Maybe I can get it from a bank, but they seldom loan except on real estate for purposes of development of the country.

     I dont know what to do but I am going to see the president of the University as soon as he is here and find out about things. I may be able to make it stick, but if I don’t, I will have to give up the idea of school this year.

      Kopp said in his letter that if I couldn’t get a loan I had better work a year or two than to go to school hampered by lack of funds. That was my idea anyway.

      I would hit Aunt Jane for a loan but if she is going to build a barn next spring, she will have no money to spare.

      There is no logging at all now on account of deep snow in the mountains. We have had no snow to speak of but it can be seen on all the hills around here.

      Your letter hasn’t come yet. I guess the snow in the Rockies must be holding up the mail. I heard that the trains were 36 hours late.

      There is nothing more to write so I will close

Your son

Dale D.

postmarked Jan 1-17 5PM